The invention relates to computer networks and, more particularly, to apparatus for interconnecting a plurality of computing components in a network
As computer use increases in business and industrial environments, there is a corresponding increase in the distribution of computer usage and computing power away from a central mainframe location. In some instances, users scattered throughout a large building will access a mainframe computer through terminals distributed throughout the building and connected to the mainframe by a cable network. In other applications, cable networks are also used to interconnect small computers distributed throughout a building with each other and with shared resources such as mass storage and printing devices.
Installation of cable networks may constitute a significant portion of the total cost of such computer systems. To reduce these installation costs, a cable network is often set in place during construction of the building. This technique can significantly lower the installation cost. However, there is no agreed upon standard for computer system cable networks. That is, various systems have different requirements as to the number of conductors, the type of conductors, the characteristic impedences, etc. For example, some systems require a 150 ohm balanced, twisted conductor pair for interconnection, while other systems employ a 75 ohm unbalanced colaxial cable for interconnection.
If a certain type of cable network is installed in a building during construction and a decision is made after construction to add a computer system which is not compatable with the installed network, much of the cost savings gained by installation of the network during construction can be lost.
Methods and techniques are known for connecting computers and terminals to incompatable cable networks. However, existing techniques have not proven satisfactory in many applications.